thumb|right|Cetyl palmitate, a typical [[wax ester]] thumb|Commercial honeycomb foundation, made by pressing beeswax between patterned metal rollers
AI overview
Wax is a solid, waxy substance made up of fatty molecules that doesn't dissolve in water, and it's produced naturally by animals like bees (beeswax) and plants to protect their surfaces. It matters because wax has many practical uses in everyday products like candles, cosmetics, and food packaging, as well as in industrial applications.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
20 sectionsContents
- Chemistry
- Plant and animal waxes
- Animal waxes
- Plant waxes
- Modified plant and animal waxes
- Petroleum derived waxes
- Montan wax
- Polyethylene and related derivatives
- Uses
- Antiquity
- Candles
- Wood products
- Other uses
- Specific examples
- Animal waxes
- Mineral waxes
- Petroleum waxes
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|right|Cetyl palmitate, a typical [[wax ester]] thumb|Commercial honeycomb foundation, made by pressing beeswax between patterned metal rollers
Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic solids that are malleable near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low viscosity liquids. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar organic solvents such as hexane, benzene and chloroform. Natural waxes of various types are produced by plants and animals and occur in petroleum.